Gopher-trap.



A. F. RENKEN.

GOPHER TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JuNEYzs, 1915.

Patetd Jan. 4, 1916.

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ANTON F. RENKEN, OF KRAMER, NEBRASKA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 26, 1915. Serial No. 36,490. J i

following is a full, clear, and exact description. y

My invention relates to traps arranged to be positioned in a gopher burrow, so that upon a gopher passingv through the trap, contact with a trigger will release a spring pressed spear.

In my improved trap the spear is formed with a spindle actuated by a torsion spring, the spindle being disposed .along a tubular body or frame, and having at one end a spur to spear the gopher and at'the opposite end an integral arm to be restrained by a latch adapted to engage a pivoted trigger.

The prime purpose of the novel construction and arrangement is to facilitate the setting of the trap without-any danger of injury to the user, while providing a simple and positively acting construction.

The invention will be particularly explained in the specific description following.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this speci'cation, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

and in which: Y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gophe trap embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view; and Fig. 4l is a sectional plan view, the section being taken near the lower end of the trap.

In constructing a practical embodiment of my invention in accordance with the illustrated example, a body or shell 10 is provided adapted to be disposed lengthwise in a gopher burrow, so that the gopher may pass therethrough. An impaling spear 11 is laterally disposed in the tubular body 10 and is formed integral with a longitudinally disposed spindle 12 which ranges along one side of the body at the interior and is adapted to turn in a bearing bracket 13 at one end of the body 10, there being a similar bearing bracket 14 secured to a frame at the front of the body 10.

The frame designated generally by the numeral 15, presents longitudinally disposed bars at diametrically opposite sides which Patenten aan. 4., 1916.

4 are integral with the front `cross-bar 16. i A

A brace bar 17 is provided extending from the cross-bar 16 to the front end of the body 10 as well as a pair vof cross-bars 18, 18 at approximately right angles to each other and positioned adjacent to the front of tlie i body 10 inward from the cross-bar 16. The

brace 17 is connected at its front end by a.

rivet 19,y or other, suitablecmeans to the cross-bar 16 and united at itslnner'end as at 20 to the body 10. The cross-bar 18 .is

secured at one end by a rivet`21 to the brace bar 17 and at its opposite end as yat 22 to the body 10. Thecross-bar 418a as 'shown is secured by rivets 21A to 'the opposite side arms 15. v

A torsion spring 28 surrounds the spindle v12 near the upper end and one end 241 of said spring bears against a cross-bar 18L lor* other fiXedportion of the trap, while the opposite end 25V lies against a lateral arm 'i 26 in iXed relation to the spindle 12, at the front end. `The tendency of the sprin'g'28 is to turn the spindle 12 on its own axisto sov carry the spear'll from the set position v alongside Lthe wall of the body 10 throughy a sufficient ,angle tol` carry the spur 11a of the spear through the path traversed by the gopher. The spur 11a is at approximatelyv right angles to the transversely disposed body 11 of the spear and said'spu'r when in the setposition is disposed 'at an oblong slot 10ain the body 10 so that "the point of the spear is outside of or close tothe adjacent `inner surface of the body 10. Whenf the spur 11"JL is moved under the influence of the spring 23, the. point thereof is adapted J being preferably formed of wire to give av broad effective area, and the inner end being positioned within the body 10 and extending partially across the same. The pivotal mounting of the trigger 28 may be by means of a strap 29 riveted as at 30 to the cross-bar 18. Any desired form may be given the trigger 28 so as to provide an eeetive sur- 'face to insure contact ot' the animal there with.

lt will be seen that the integral formation of the spindle 12, spear ll, and arm 26 provides t'or the safe and con vvenient setting of the trap Without danger to the user, and that the other elements make for convenience and etliciency, in that the front frame structure provides the necessary inem ers for the support of the spindle l2 d the latch 27 as Well as for the engagement ot the spring arm 2/1-, The form and arrangement of the spear and the slotted and apertured shell result in aording a clear passage for v'he gopher toward the trigger and an etmectiye pinning of the spearec gopher. Also, it will be observed that the disposition of the spear in the set position outside of the interior space of the shell is provided for Without the said spear presenting material projection at the exterior, the resulting compactness being desirable in disposing the trap in the burroi'v. Furthermore, the trap will thus occupy the minimum total cross-sectional area.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is:

l. A trap comprising a tubular body, a spindle disposed longitudinally ofthe body and mounted to rock, said spindle having a transverse spear thereon at its rear end and with an integral lateral arm at the opposite end, a trame on the tubular body art the front, a trigger mounted on the body at the front, a latch mounted on the frame and extending at one side ot the lateral arm of the spindle, said latch detachably engaging the trigger, and a torsion spring surrounding the spindle, one end of the spring being engaged with a fixed part of the trap and the other bearing against the lateral front arm of the spindle, the said spear having a spur at approximately right angles thereto and the said body at the rear end having a slot through which the spur and the adjacent portion of the spear may extend and having also an aperture distant from the said slot through which the spur may be irojected under the influence of the said spring.

2. A trap of the character described, comprising a tubular body adapted to be disposed in a burrow and constituting a passageway for a gopher, a spindle ranging longitudinally at the interior of the body and roelrably mounted, said spindle having a laterally disposed spear at its rear end, and lateral arm at its front end, a spring normally tending to turn said spindle to throw the spear through an angle transversely of tie body, a trigger pivotally mounted on the body and having a member projecting into the body to be engaged by an animal passing through the latter, and a piyoted latch extending at one side of the said lateral arm ot the spindle and having its free end engaging the trigger.

3. A, trap comprising a tubular body hayin' ad'aeent one end a slot and an ooenine 70 spaced from said slot, a frame secured to one end of the body, a spindle ournaled in the body and frame and providedv at the end Within the body with a lateral arm having an angular spear member and at its other end with a lateral arm, a spring surrounding the spindle and having one end secured to the trame and its other end engaging the arm ot the spindle, a latch pivoted to the frame above the arm of the spindle and extending at one side of the arm or" the spindle, and a trigger piyoted between its ends and having one member thereof extending into the body, the other member of the trigger having a loop with which the tree end of the latch Alfl'ltlfvl F. RENKEN.

lV i tnesses JosnPI-r KLEIN, F. A. THOMPSON.

(logies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ef Eatents,

"fas'iington, D. C. t 

